Memories Crystal Clear
by videogameandanime-empress
Summary: Tifa was finally living in the peaceful haven she'd always wished Midgar would be. But without Cloud around...life felt so empty. When she comes up with the courage to go and find him and maybe even reveal her love, she comes across a disturbing truth.CxT
1. That's What Makes You a Hero

**(A/N) DUDE! I wrote like the first whole half of this thing while I was at school supposedly doing homework. Yeah... that just didn't work for me. Anyways I did it in cursive... which I havn't used since like seventh grade... yet... somehow it looks better than my printing, which I use every single day. Interesting eh?**

**This takes place eleven years after Advent Children. Which is pretty much 13 years after the end of the game.**

**Disclaimer: Well duh I didn't create Final Fantasy seven... otherwise Tifa's skirt would be longer.**

Laying on my bed, staring at the celing I, I counted all the dots I could see, as I had done every day, for what seemed like ages. As my vision wasn't the best, I managed to get a different number each time. As I heard my bedrooom door creak open I sat up.

"Hello Tifa!" Marlene smiled, her eyes shining intensly bright in the darkness of my room.

Ever since she and Denzel had married, the days soon became lonely, empty, and incredibly dull. Everything blurred by, but my memores remained crystal clear.

"Hey Marlene!" I exclaimed, trying to sound like my enthusiastic self. She tirled around in her new baby blue dress. "You look nice." I commented grinning.

She giggled a happy "Thanks!"

I stood up and wandered over to the window, outside everyone was continuing on with their busy lives. Midgar had evolved into a normal, everyday place over the past eleven years.

You couldn't even recognize that it was once a chaotic city; it's problems had long since faded. No serial killers, no corrupted shinra, it had finally reached ideal, true peace.

Yet somehow... it seemed as though there was still some sort of restlessness... something still needed to be set right.

"How long has it been since you last saw Cloud?" her change in tone startled me.

"A-about six years.:" I stumbled over my words.

Outside there were happy children, playing games, everything was calm.

Maybe it was just me that had an issue with this new way of living...

"Whatever happened to Strife delivery service?" she asked.

"Oh... that." I said with a hint of spite. "That was a complete joke. There is no way Cloud can go without fighting... without fighting for what he believes is right."

I played with my hair. I hadn't thought about Cloud in awhile... oh who was I kidding. I thought of him everyday, but I hadn't spoke of him in what felt like an eternity. His name sounded almost foriegn.

"Tifa..." Marlene looked me in the eyes "You're like that too... you're a lot like Cloud really... you stand up and fight for those who need your protection. That's what makes you a hero."

Wait. Hold up. "A hero?!" I said completely confused.

Sure I fought for what I believed in I guess... and I was a bit like Cloud in a way... but a hero? It didn't sound like me. I wasn't heroic at all.

"Marlene all those times I've protected you, and fought..." I was still a little shocked at what she'd said. "I was scared, I'm not brave, and I can't fight alone. If it wasn't for Cloud I would've never seemed heroic at all."

Marlene laughed at me "But think about it Tifa... if it weren't for you... who knows if Cloud would have even made it through those battles... without you by his side... maybe he would have lost hope."

Now THAT was a new mindset for me "No way!" I retorted "You make us sound like lovers or something... your talk of hope and what not... and we certainly aren't lovers either."

"Well of course not.." she said smartly "You haven't confessed your undying love to him yet."

My blood began to boil. Who did this child think she was anyway? There was no way I could love Cloud.. I...

After calming down a bit I laid back down on my bed and closed my eyes. "When I think back.." I said softly "I feel foolish for how jealous over Cloud I'd gotten. And ashamed of how secretly competitive me and Aeris would get sometimes. But now..." I kept my eyes shut tightly "now I wish she HAD won him... maybe then she wouldn't have..." I rolled over and sighed. "Either way I still feel guilty because-"

"Stop." Marlene demanded. "Don't you remember all those times you told Cloud it wasn't his fault? Well it wasn't yours either so quit drowning in sorrow."

She had a point. But really... could I just get up and leave? Could I just leave behind the peace I'd battled for, for so long, that had finally come? Could I just walk away, with no plan, no clues, nothing?

Was it worth it to leave what I'd become accustom to and go back to the lifestyle I had before... just to look for him... only to search for a man that hadn't bothered to come home in six years?

The answer was yes... because that man was Cloud. My friend, my ally, that haunting memory of my past that just wont escape my mind.

I missed him and I was going to search for him, yet somehow I was still too stubborn to admit that painful truth... that ached in my heart.

**(A/N) Yay that was easy and fun and it's my first FF7 fic too... I like Tifa... I'm cosplaying as her for halloween and I'm excited... I think this fic will be good... and guess what? I decided to give you a preview of the next chapter! (Which I'm making up as I go along but still...)**

_"C-Cloud... no...no! No! I won't believe that! I won't! It's not true!" my voice cracked as its volume raised. "Y-...you couldn't have..." _

_Tears began welling up in my eyes, though I tried my best to resist... I tried had to hold them back.. I had to be strong. I had to be that hero Marlene thought I was._

_"Foolish girl." Cloud said coldly "Don't you realize I don't know you nor care for your well being at all? Just give up on trying to convince me of otherwise."_

_"N-no..." I said faintly. _

_I lost my bearing, and the tears rolled down my cheeks... my emotions overcoming my reasoning. I cried those tears of anguish that night. And I'm not proud of it._

**Look for chapter two: Tears of Anguish coming soon to a fanfiction near you!**


	2. Tears of Anguish

**(A/N) Hey! Not too many reviews but thanks to the few who did. Anyways I'm updating again (yay) and I'm hoping I'll continue to update regularly. The last chapter was a bit uneventful, but when I make a first chapter too eventful the fic ends up being short. That last chapter is sort of like a prolouge I suppose... Oh it was called That's what makes you a hero... in case you were wondering.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned FF7 there'd be scenes with Cloud or Vincent with his shirt off. Just because.**

**Chapter Two: Tears of Anguish**

_After days of journey..._

_Breaths of courage..._

_And a leap of faith... _

_I returned to Nibelhiem... only to walk into yet another trap... set to ensnare my last chance at being content..._

As I approached the town, it was oddly silent. Why? The sun was shining brightly, birds singing songs of joy, what was wrong?

I ignored that detail and decided I was simply paranoid. I slowly walked closer and closer, what made me think Cloud would be there anyway? Was I really naive enough to think I'd guess right on the first try?

But the moment I set foot on the Nibelhiem grass, I knew that I'd find Cloud. It was engraved in my mind that I would. Maybe it was my childish mind, or simply my stubbornness... I was determined that he was there.

I walked down the path. Nobody was in sight. Something was incredibly wrong... but it didn't involve me, my mind told me to turn back, but my stubborn heart pressed onward.

I scanned the area, my hand shading my eyes, nothing seemed out of place. Yet I couldn't shake this feeling that...

A shifting in the bushes caught my attention. Close behind me something... or more like someone... was lurking.

My fists clenched I whirled around.

And there he stood... Cloud Strife. My racing heart slowed a bit, and my sweaty palms became less tense.

But then, something occured to me... "This is too easy..." I whispered.

"Heh," Cloud said unsheathing his sword "smart girl."

The cold malice in his voice... so unfamiliar sounding. "Cloud?"

"Yes girl?" he said almost mockingly.

"What... what's wrong with you?" I said accusingly.

"Why nothing of course..." he stepped closer. "I'm just here on business you know."

"Business?" I gulped. This was definitely suspicious.

"Yes I've been ordered to eliminate you." he said just a bit to casually.

"What?!" I shrieked.

He laughed menacingly "Yes, my mission is to destroy Tifa Lockheart, for she is a threat to the supreme one."

"What the hell..." who on earth would Cloud call... the supreme one?

He swung his sword at me, giving me little time to react. "Cloud!" I screamed "What are you doing?! Don't you remember who I am? I'm your friend!"

"I have no friends!" he yelled and swung his sword at me again, this time just barely missing my arm.

"Cloud, dammit, listen to me! Your my-"

He cut me off "Don't you understand you idiot?" he said harshly. "I don't remember anything about you or any of that sort of shit. In my mind now, I have no friends, no family, no attachments. My sole purpose is to fulfill the desires of the supreme one."

"Wha..." This was too much. No more memory... of me? And here I was thinking I was going to go off and declare my love for someone who doesn't even remember me any more.

Being lost in thought slowed my movements making his next swing slice my leg rather deep. I winced at the pain, and could feel the warm liquid dripping out of me. The crimson blood created a pool beneath me.

I took a deep breath to keep focus. I couldn't lose. I knew he was seriously. And now I was too. I was going to get him to remember me.

"Cloud you DO remember me deep down... you do." I said encouragingly, almost sounding pathetic.

"Quit being so-"

"Cloud I love you!" I exclaimed making him freeze just long enough for me to grab him by his wrists tightly, his hand released his sword, and it clanged to the ground.

"What... did you... say?" he said the words so coldly between his breaths.

"I love you and I know..." I felt so ridiculous saying those things but... "I know you love me too...I know in your heart you-" He shoved me down to the ground forcefully.

"I don't care about you..." he glared at me "you filthy bitch."

That was it. I couldn't take anymore... I couldn't stand to see my friend like this.

"I told you before," he said picking up his sword again "I don't remember you at all. Heh... I guess you weren't that important if I forgot you that easily huh?"

"C-Cloud... no...no! No! I won't believe that! I won't! It's not true!" my voice cracked as its volume raised. "Y-...you couldn't have..."

Tears began welling up in my eyes, though I tried my best to resist... I tried had to hold them back.. I had to be strong. I had to be that hero Marlene thought I was.

"Foolish girl." Cloud said coldly "Don't you realize I don't know you nor care for your well being at all? Just give up on trying to convince me of otherwise."

"N-no..." I said faintly.

I lost my bearing, and the tears rolled down my cheeks... my emotions overcoming my reasoning. I cried those tears of anguish that night. And I'm not proud of it.

**(A/N) Awwe so sad... but pretty long for me! Anyways I've already got ideas for the next chapter so look for that soon. Heres an random excerpt from the next chapter that you can look forward to!**

_"I already told you..." I said breathing heavily "I won't take no for an answer. I WILL make you remember.. I WILL get you back to normal... I'll go through anything to bring you back... not just because I love you... but because you're my friend.. and I owe it to you... remember all those times you helped me? Think Cloud... I know you remember..." I smiled softly "I'll make you remember 'cuz I'm just too damn stubborn to give up."_

**See you later in Chapter Three: A Warm Heart in the Cold Night**


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